


Sweet sixteen

by serendipitous_rambles



Category: Anne of Green Gables - L. M. Montgomery, Anne with an E (TV)
Genre: Based on what we've seen from the trailer of Anne waking up on her sixteenth birthday, F/M, I can see her wanting 16 to be a big romantical year, Just A Little Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-02
Updated: 2019-09-02
Packaged: 2020-10-05 20:34:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 633
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20494925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/serendipitous_rambles/pseuds/serendipitous_rambles
Summary: Anne always thought being sixteen would feel different...but she still looked like the same old Anne she did at fifteen.





	Sweet sixteen

Anne woke up with a start, the early morning sun beaming through the window. Today was the day. It had finally happened.

She ran to the window, looking out into the new world. "It finally happened!" She shouted out, not even Jerry was around yet. "I'm sixteen!"

She couldn't believe it. Anne Shirley Cuthbert was now a sixteen year old woman. No longer was she a child. The air felt better, the birds were beginning to sing what could have been a birthday song for her. She felt different. More mature. Being sixteen seemed so much more romantic than being fifteen. 

But when she went to the mirror, her heart sunk. Maybe on the inside she felt different, but on the outside she was still plain old Anne. Her reflection hadn't changed. Leaning forward, she noticed those oh so loathsome freckles were still on her cheeks, and that red hair was still hanging by her shoulders. 

"I don't know what I was expecting." She sighed to herself. "I'm not some ideal beauty with many suitors...or even just one…" 

She looked away from the mirror, not wanting to look any longer. Her whole life she'd dreamt of this day, knowing that things would be different somehow. But they weren't. Now all of a sudden that feeling had disappeared, and being sixteen felt very much the same as fifteen. No grand sparks just...same old Anne.

Marilla had made her a special breakfast, but the walk to school was less than special. Diana had given her a little card, for she was having a proper celebration later where gifts would be given. But nothing out of the ordinary happened.

The class seemed the same, few even acknowledged it was her birthday. That was until Gilbert Blythe subtly placed something on her desk. He'd passed it off as dropping his chalk, before placing a small box tied with string beside her. She didn't look at him when he crouched down to place it there, much like the infamous "carrots" episode that he had apologised for but still stung in her heart just a little.

The rest of the day they didn't acknowledge it, Anne simply tucking it into her apron pocket for later. But at the end of class, she caught him when putting on their coats to leave. Diana had left, waiting outside for Anne while she lingered behind.

"Gilbert.." she said, looking down at her hands until she could bring herself to meet his eyes. "Thank you. For my gift. Why did you get me something?"

He tilted his head, "It's your birthday isn't it?" 

"Yes, I mean...you didn't have to get me anything. I haven't gotten you anything for your birthdays."

He shrugged, "You're my friend? And besides it's a momentous occasion. You don't turn sixteen everyday."

He gave her a little smile, and she returned it feeling bashful just like that time he came for Christmas at Green Gables.

"It certainly doesn't feel like a momentous occasion. I thought I'd feel different but when I looked in the mirror everything was the same. Same boring old me."

"Same you." He gave a little nervous laugh, eyes crinkling. It wasn't an insult but somehow a compliment. 

They stood awkwardly in the doorway for a moment before Gilbert pointed to the door, "May I walk you home? After all it is your birthday."

She hesitated a moment, unsure what Diana would say. Surely she'd never hear the end of it. But then again, walking home would be a most romantical way to spend your birthday. Even if it  _ was  _ with Gilbert.

"Alright."

That day marked the first time Gilbert walked Anne home, and slowly it became the norm. Maybe sixteen would be just as romantical as Anne had hoped it would be...


End file.
